On a sound footing

There are a handful of singers whose voice can transcend the layers of noise,penetrate the human heart and stir the soul.

My work is my claim to fame,says the Rockstar Ustad,Shafqat Amanat Ali

There are a handful of singers whose voice can transcend the layers of noise,penetrate the human heart and stir the soul. Very few,who can free themselves of the crutches of commericialisation and technology,and arrive on a sound footing. Shafqat Amanat Ali is one of those very few singers for whom music has always been the first,and only calling in life. Its a family legacy,a tradition,a onus and responsibility, says this ninth generation of the legendary Patiala Gharana. When you have a father like Ustad Amanat Ali Khan,uncle Ustad Fateh Ali Khan and Roshanara Begum you simply cant break away from musical roots that run deep and strong. Trust me,its a very heavy burden; a duty to uphold the izzat of big names attached to ours…I just cant be an ordinary person or singer,and for this very reason my learning will never stop for there are big names to look upto, each day is a challenge for Shafqat,one that makes him work harder than before. A student of classical music since the age of four,he was honoured with the Role of Honour from the Music Society of Government College,Lahore and Presidents Pride of Performance in Pakistan.

Strike a chord,and its the unique blend of classical gayaki and contemporary panache that he fuses in his music. While his first solo album,Tabeer carried the listener to peaks of ecstasy and depths of pain,his new album by Music Today,which will release on February 10,will traverse through a gamut of emotions. My work is my claim to fame, says a modest Shafqat,looking forward to his new album which is a mix of rock,melodious compositions and undertones of Sufi poetry. Its youthful in its energy and pace,and has 10 extremely compelling tracks in assorted styles. From romantic to introspective,the lyrics are in simple Hindi and Punjabi, narrates the writer,composer and vocalist. In his words,its a nicely done experiment. I believe in giving 200 per cent to my work. You have to learn it,master it. People are into music merely for fame and money. If you are in it,do it properly,know your rules and regulations else youll end up being a street player, says the man who left the world asking for more with his first album with Fuzon called Saagar. Thats another story…the band unfortunately broke up because of the insecurities of the other band members. They wanted the cameras on them,people shouting for them…you cant come to stage without energy…well,it was a very petty issue, shares Shafqat,who finally left the band and ventured out solo. Soon,Mumbai happened,and Shafqat became a household name. Talk about his regular work with Nagesh Kukunoor (he sang for Iqbal,Hyderabad Blues,Dor),and Shafqat says Naagesh was floored by their album Saagar. He met me at a MTV concert,and we struck a friendship. Theres another bond which is dear to him,and thats with music director duo Salim-Sulaiman. Salim is the one who gave me the title of Rockstar Ustad, laughs Shafqat explaining how this title came about. See,there are ragas like Darbari,Megha,Bhopali,Pahari that gel very well with rock music. Once on stage,we fused the ragas with new contemporary sounds,and it gave birth to a fusion of classical ustad and elements of a rockstar.

For 2010,his kitty is full with international tie-ups,Nagesh Kukunoors Aashayein,Karan Johars My Name is Khan,Dharma Productions I hate Love Stories and track for Patiala House. Like I said,work is my claim to fame, he signs off.

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